


Sweet Pomegranate

by orphan_account



Series: Ryoumarx Week 2016 [1]
Category: Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: Alternate Universe - Always a Different Sex, Alternate Universe - Mythology, F/F, Gender or Sex Swap, Hades and Persephone AU, Other Additional Tags to Be Added
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-15
Updated: 2016-06-15
Packaged: 2018-07-15 05:02:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,327
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7208813
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Corrin is stolen by the King of the Underworld, Ryou makes it her mission to save her.<br/>-<br/>No longer updating</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sweet Pomegranate

Ryou would be lying if she were to say that she wasn’t scared. How could she not be? The journey she was taking was beyond dangerous. She’d known before she’d set out that it was likely the only thing waiting for her at the end was her demise. Of course, such conclusions had never stopped her before and they certainly wouldn’t stop her now. 

Her siblings’ nervous chatter and well-wishes played in her mind as she nodded stiffly at the robed man standing at the edge of the river. They’d been so desperate to hide their worries. They knew that they could say nothing to stop Ryou in her quest, and had done their best to hide their worries. Her mother’s worry had not been so skillfully hidden.

“Ryou,” she’d said, her grip tight on Ryou’s arm. The frown on her face looked unnatural, “Ryou, please. I cannot lose two children. Don’t throw your life away like this.”

Ryou had offered a weak smile and placed a gentle kiss on Mikoto’s head, “I know, Mother. That’s why I won’t let you lose two children. Before you know it, Corrin and I will be back.”

The man glanced up at her, or at least she assumed he did. His face was hidden beneath the shadow of the hood he was wearing. The only hint that there was a person hidden under those robes was the hint of wrinkled flesh and the end of a jagged scar that sliced across it.  Even slouching, he towered over her. “You are not the usual sort I see around here.”

“I,” Ryou said, gathering the courage to push the rest of the sentence out, “I imagine so. Is there a problem in that?”

The man chuckled. His voice sounded like the crunching of gravel underfoot, “Only if you cannot pay the toll.”

Yes, the toll. Ryou had come prepared. She squeezed her hand and the coin in her palm dug into the flesh. It hadn’t felt real until this moment. Throughout her entire trip here, her destination had always been an abstract concept. She knew she was headed towards the Underworld to save her sister, but it was only as she stood at the edge of the river that she understood the weight of it. Pushing back the panic, she held the coin for the man to take. He took the coin from her open palm and held it between his thumb and forefinger.

He studied the coin for a moment. Ryou’s heart pounded in her ears, terrified that he’d find some fault in her offering, turn her away, and render her quest fruitless. She had not accounted for what she would do if was turned away at the entrance. After what felt like an eternity, he slid the coin into his sleeve and gestured for her to board the ferry.

“It’s not often that we get someone so… lively,” he said once the two of them had set off.

Ryou clutched at her robes and stared ahead. Indecipherable whispers tickled her ears, but she did her best to ignore them. “I have a task I must complete.”

“Most do,” the man hummed, “and who bestowed this task upon you?”

“Myself.”

The man faltered for a moment, but only just. They continued towards the other side of the river. The man did not speak for some time, and Ryou hoped that meant the end of the conversation. It was not so. “To prove something, or to save someone?”

Ryou grit her teeth, “Are you always this talkative?”

“Not usually, but my usual passengers do not tend to have a pulse.”

Wasn’t that a lovely thought? Ryou pressed her lips together in a grimace and focused ahead. At some point in time, a thick fog had rolled in. She could see nothing but the edge of the ferry and the ferryman. It was as if nothing existed but the little ferry. The whispers from before had faded out. The only sound that Ryou could hear was the splash of the oar pushing through the water.

“My sister,” she said, no longer able to handle the silence, “I’ve come to take back my sister.”

“An admirable goal, but King Garon isn’t the type to release the souls of the dead who have passed over.”

“It wasn’t her time.”

The man huffed, “Many people think as much when a loved one dies. It does not make it any truer.”

“No, you don’t understand,” Ryou growled, her voice rising in frustration. “She was taken from us by your King Garon. It is not the dead which I save, but the living. Your king has no claim on her.”

“Is that so…”

The conversation having met its end at last, the two said nothing until they reached the other side of the river. As Ryou stepped onto the soil of the other side of the river, a cough from behind her turned her attention to the ferryman. Though she could not see his face, she got the odd feeling that he was smiling at her, “I wish you luck on your journey and may the next time I see you be a long time from now.”

Ryou could not help the smile that appeared on her lips. Even though she would not be returning to the Nohrian Underworld after she died, his sentiments were still appreciated. She nodded her head towards him, “I thank you.”

She watched as the ferryman pushed from the shore and within minutes was swallowed by the fog. The whispers from before returned, but Ryou paid them no heed. Taking a steadying breath, she turned towards the pathway and marched on.

It was not long before she found the entrance. Had she not been preparing herself for the sight since she’d set foot on this side of the river, the image of the giant three-headed dog might have taken her breath away. Even with that preparation, she found herself reeling back at the sight. To call the thing standing before the grand doors a ‘dog’ was a stretch. Even if she did not consider the three heads, dogs did not have a mane made of snakes or claws which looked more suited to a lion.  

The sound of laughter cut through the whispers and directed Ryou’s attention to the girl who seemed to be playing with the hideous thing. Much like one would a normal dog, she was giving it commands that it resolutely followed. With each correctly preformed trick, the girl would pet the monster’s snout and heap praise.  When Ryou was within several feet of the two, both dog and girl paused in their games to look at her.

“Oh, my! You’re not a spirit,” the young woman said, turning from the giant dog she’d been playing with moments ago. The beast made whimpering noise as she left its side, but made did not move from its post. Her golden pigtails swayed to and fro as she scampered to Ryou’s side. “What are you doing here, Miss?”

“I-,” Ryou stammered. She had prepared herself for all manners of spirits and monsters, but she found herself floundering in the presence of an enthusiastic little girl (or at least, a creature that possessed the form of a little girl).

The girl’s brow furrowed and a moment later her eyes lit up, “You must be the princess that Nyx foretold would be arriving!”

“I- What?”

“Oh, I’m so excited! Big Sister’s waiting for you in the throne room. Come on, I’ll lead the way,” the girl said, grabbing a hold off Ryou’s hand.  Ryou held back a yelp when she did. The girl’s hands were as cold as a corpse’s.

Ryou followed behind the girl, all the while keeping an eye on the dog. The girl must have noticed as she soon piped up with, “Oh, don’t worry about him. Keaton’s just a big softie, really! As long as you aren’t a spirit trying to leave, he won’t hurt you. Maybe after you and Big Sister talk you can play with him. Oh, and my name’s Elise!”

Ryou supposed that was meant to sound encouraging. Instead, she just felt more uneasy.

Though the doors looked heavy, Elise seemed to have no issue opening them. The hallway that they opened to was a narrow corridor lit by torches placed at odd intervals. Small jewels embedded in the wall glittered in the firelight. Ryou was at once thankful that she was not claustrophobic. As she followed Elise into the hallway, Ryou was startled to find the whispers had grown louder to the point that they were impossible to ignore.

Elise did not seem to notice the sudden cacophony of disembodied voices. She skipped along merrily, humming a cheerful tune. Ryou did her best to hide her discomfort. At the very least, she was happy to find that it did not take them long to come upon a golden door that Elise informed her was the entrance to the throne room. Elise gave her one last smile and opened the door for her. Ryou stepped inside, ready to face whoever was on the other side.

She promptly froze. The door slammed shut behind her, but she took no notice of it. She didn’t even notice that as the door closed, the chatter disappeared entirely. In the center stood a large fire pit which served as the sole source of illumination. On the walls hung tapestries, artfully crafted, depicting the different fates that the souls brought here would face. Piles of gold and jewel were scattered throughout the room. On either side of her, columns of obsidians stretched upwards into a dark abyss. In the center of it all was a throne, with a young woman sitting upon it.

Ryou could do nothing but stare at her. Her golden curls which fell across her cheeks seem to glow in the fire light. The curve of her lips beckoned Ryou forward and inspired her to run at the same time. Her delicate wrists were decorated with golden bands and her robes were a deep purple. The fire seemed to flicker in her eyes. If Ryou had doubted that she was in the presences of a god before, she no longer held those doubts. She dropped to her knees at once and bowed her head low.

She did not stand until she heard the Goddess say, “Rise, High Princess of Hoshido, and state your case.”

“Your Highness,” Ryou said, hoping that the title would appease the goddess before her, “I’m afraid you have taken something that belongs to me and I have come to collect it.”

The woman’s eyes narrowed and she let out a harsh laugh, “You have a quarrel with my father, then.”

“Your father?”

The woman stood up from her throne and walked toward Ryou, “I am Xandra, daughter of  King Garon and Queen Katerina. I can only assume my father is the cause of whatever it is you have lost. He does have a history of taking things without considering the consequences.” One of her hands came to cup Ryou’s cheek, “What is it that you have lost, Princess of Hoshido?”

“Your father has stolen my sister,” Ryou replied, shivering from the touch. “It was neither his right nor her time to go, and yet he stole her from our home.”

Xandra hummed, “If you speak the truth, I doubt my father would so willingly let her go. He’s a rather possessive man, you must understand, and I cannot disobey. You would have to offer up something to get me to agree to return your sister.”

Ryou let out a shuddering breath, “If you will allow it, I would take my sister’s place.”

Xandra’s eyes went wide and her hand dropped to her side. Ryou took a small delight in the fact that she had managed to shock the Princess of the Underworld, though the delight was overshadowed by the sickness she felt over what she had just offered.

“It’s not your time,” Xandra said, once she had contained her surprise.

“Neither was it Corrin’s. Surely that will appease your father. One daughter for another.”

Xandra’s brow furrowed and something akin to concern flashed across her face, “Do you really wish to do this Princess Ryou? Do you understand the consequences of your actions?”

Ryou swallowed back the lump in her throat. Of course she understood. She wondered what her siblings might say if there were here. She was the heir to the throne. She’d fought since the day she was born to prove that her father had chosen right when he’d decided to name her his heir instead of his son. And yet, here she was, ready to throw it all away if it meant saving Corrin. Could she really turn her back on her birthright for the sake of her little sister?

Ryou met Xandra’s gaze and nodded her head, “I understand and will not retract my offer. Please return Corrin to us.”

“For your sake, I hope you do not regret your decision,” Xandra said, taking a hold of Ryou’s hands.

A moment later the door to the throne room opened and a familiar face appeared on the other side.

“Big Sister,” Corrin said. She rushed towards Ryou and pulled her older sister into a hug, “You’re here.”

It took Ryou all of her strength not to burst into tears in the moment. Her sister was here in her arms.

To Ryou’s surprise, Xandra’s eyes were gentle as she looked at Corrin. “It’s time to go Corrin. Silas will be here any moment to return you to your home.”

“What do you mean?” Corrin glanced between Ryou and Xandra, “I thought I was trapped her. King Garon said so. W-what happened?”

Xandra pursed her lips together, and looked towards Ryou. So she was leaving it up to her then. Ryou let out a laugh, but it rang hollow, “I’m taking your place, Corrin.”

**Author's Note:**

> Yes, Keaton is Cerberus. I only have mild regrets.


End file.
